Gingerbread Honey Cupcakes: A Sweet Spin on Tradition

(Family Features) In a holiday season crowded with everything from mouthwatering cakes, cookies and pies to “fa-la-la-la” forgettable fruitcakes, the dessert table can bring you comfort and joy or sweet-tooth dismay. Here’s the secret to spicy, sweet cupcakes that “sleigh” at the dessert table: These gingerbread cupcakes with honey cream cheese frosting swap molasses for raw honey to deliver bold flavor and buzzworthy bragging rights. Just like most legendary desserts, every drop of Busy Bee Raw Honey comes with a story. Sourced entirely in the U.S. and tested for safety, quality and three times for purity, it comes with a peel-away back label and Real Honey Code so you can trace your honey’s journey from flower to hive to your holiday dessert table. To bring the journey to your home this holiday season, visit BusyBeeHoney.com to find more inspiration, information and availability.  

Gingerbread Cupcakes with Honey Cream Cheese Frosting

Yield: 12 cupcakes

• 1 3/4    cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2       cup packed dark brown sugar
• 1 1/2    teaspoons baking powder
• 2          teaspoons ground ginger
• 1          teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/8       teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/2       teaspoon salt
• 1/2       cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
• 1/2       cup Busy Bee Raw Honey
• 1          egg, lightly beaten
• 1/2       cup buttermilk, at room temperature
• 1          teaspoon vanilla extract

Honey Cream Cheese Frosting:

• 8          ounces cream cheese, softened
• 1/2       cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
• 1/4       cup Busy Bee Raw Honey
• 1          teaspoon vanilla extract
• 4-6       cups powdered sugar

1. Preheat oven to 350 F.
2. Line 12 regular-size muffin cups with paper baking cups.
3. In medium bowl, whisk flour, brown sugar, baking powder, ginger, cinnamon, cloves and salt.
4. In large bowl, using hand or stand mixer, beat softened butter and honey until smooth and slightly fluffy, 1-2 minutes. Beat in egg then mix in buttermilk and vanilla until combined.
5. Add dry ingredients to wet mixture and stir gently until no streaks of flour remain; don’t overmix.
6. Divide batter evenly among muffin cups, filling each about two-thirds full.
7. Bake 20-22 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center of cupcake comes out clean.
8. Let cupcakes cool in pan about 5 minutes then transfer to wire rack to cool completely.
9. To make frosting: Beat cream cheese and butter until smooth and creamy. Add honey and vanilla then gradually beat in powdered sugar until fluffy, spreadable and reaching desired sweetness. Chill for firmer consistency before piping or spreading, if desired.

SOURCE: Barkman Honey

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Ollie’s Bargain Outlet Turns Spare Change Into Holiday Hope with Feeding America Partnership

When you’re hunting for bargains this holiday season, your spare change could do more than jingle in your pocket—it could put food on a neighbor’s table. Ollie’s Bargain Outlet is launching its sixth annual hOLLIEday Caring campaign, partnering with Feeding America® to give shoppers an easy way to fight hunger right at the register. From December 7th through December 24th, customers can round up their purchases to support local food banks in communities where Ollie’s stores operate. It’s a small gesture that adds up fast—over the past five years, these round-ups have generated more than $4 million for families facing food insecurity.

Why This Campaign Matters More Than Ever

Food insecurity isn’t just a holiday problem—it’s a year-round crisis that intensifies when the calendar turns to November and December. Rising costs for food, housing, and healthcare have pushed millions of Americans into impossible choices: pay the electric bill or buy groceries? Fill a prescription or feed the kids? The Feeding America network has responded to this growing need by rescuing more than 4 billion pounds of wholesome food over the past year. But as demand increases, so does the pressure on food banks to keep shelves stocked and families fed. “The holidays can be a particularly challenging period for those in need and the food banks that support them,” the campaign announcement notes. “This is a time when families are forced to choose between food and other necessity items, food banks face rising demand, and families nationwide are turning to the Feeding America network of partner food banks to help make ends meet.”

How Round-Ups Create Real Impact

The beauty of Ollie’s hOLLIEday Caring campaign lies in its simplicity. There’s no complicated donation process, no separate transaction, no guilt-inducing ask at the checkout. Just a quick question: would you like to round up your purchase? That extra 37 cents or 82 cents might not seem like much in the moment, but multiply it across hundreds of thousands of transactions at 613 stores in 34 states, and suddenly you’re talking about meaningful resources for local food banks. “Our hOLLIEday Caring campaign encourages shoppers to turn spare change into meaningful support that puts food on the table for neighbors and creates the kind of real change and hope families need right now,” said Tom Kuypers, Senior Vice President of Marketing at Ollie’s.

A Partnership Built on Community Values

What makes this initiative particularly effective is that donations stay local. The funds raised support Feeding America’s network of partner food banks in the communities where Ollie’s operates, ensuring that your round-up in Pennsylvania helps Pennsylvania families, and your contribution in Arizona supports Arizona neighbors. This localized approach reflects Ollie’s broader commitment to the communities it serves. “At Ollie’s, caring for our associates, customers, and the communities in which they live in is a core value,” Kuypers emphasized. Elizabeth Pettengill, Interim Vice President of Corporate Partners at Feeding America, echoed that sentiment: “We are grateful for partners like Ollie’s who help make our work possible. Every round up at the register supports local food banks in communities across the country, helping to ensure families can bring meals home during the holidays and beyond.”

Beyond the Holidays

While the hOLLIEday Caring campaign runs through Christmas Eve, the need for food assistance doesn’t end when the decorations come down. Food insecurity is a persistent challenge that requires sustained support throughout the year. That’s why partnerships like this one matter—they create awareness, build habits of giving, and demonstrate how easily everyday shoppers can contribute to solutions. When charitable giving is integrated into routine activities like grocery shopping or bargain hunting, it becomes accessible to everyone, not just those with disposable income to spare.

How to Participate

If you’re shopping at Ollie’s between December 7th and December 24th, simply say yes when the cashier asks if you’d like to round up your purchase. That’s it. Your spare change will be directed to Feeding America’s network of local food banks, helping families in your community access the food they need. And if Ollie’s isn’t part of your regular shopping routine, consider how you might support local food banks in other ways—whether through direct donations, volunteering, or participating in similar round-up campaigns at other retailers. The holidays remind us that community isn’t just about celebration—it’s about showing up for each other, especially when times are tough. Sometimes that looks like a grand gesture. Sometimes it’s as simple as rounding up to the nearest dollar.

About Ollie’s Bargain Outlet

Ollie’s is a leading off-price retailer specializing in brand name closeout merchandise and excess inventory. With 613 stores across 34 states, the company’s mission is to sell “Good Stuff Cheap®” at prices up to 70% below traditional retailers. Learn more at ollies.com. For more stories about people making a difference in the community, whether it’s locally or globally, visit our Stories of Change section.

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Sources:

• Ollie’s Bargain Outlet Press Release via PR Newswire
• Feeding America

Looking for more ways to support families facing food insecurity? Visit your local food bank’s website to learn about donation opportunities, volunteer shifts, and community programs.

Win Busy Weeknights with a One-Pan Meal

(Family Features) If the holiday season has you avoiding the kitchen at all costs, a one-pan weeknight meal that’s equal parts filling, satisfying and simple can let you spend more time with loved ones and less time at the counter. Turn to Cheesy Spinach Chicken Bake that can easily be adapted to your family’s tastes by swapping out spinach for broccoli or cauliflower. To find more holiday season solutions, visit Culinary.net.

Cheesy Spinach Chicken Bake

Recipe courtesy of “Cookin’ Savvy” Servings: 4-6

• 2          cups chopped rotisserie chicken
• 10        ounces frozen spinach, thawed and drained
• 15        ounces ricotta cheese
• 2          cups mozzarella cheese
• 1          cup Parmesan cheese
• 1          tablespoon Italian seasoning
• 1          tablespoon garlic powder
• 1          tablespoon onion powder
• 1          tablespoon lemon thyme

1. Heat oven to 375 F.
2. Cut rotisserie chicken and spinach into bite-sized pieces. In baking dish, mix chicken and spinach with ricotta cheese.
3. Add mozzarella, Parmesan, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder and lemon thyme. Mix well then bake 30 minutes.

SOURCE: Culinary.net

The fate of Lucky Supermarkets in SoCal

Link: https://stmdailynews.com/the-fate-of-lucky-supermarkets-in-socal/